Other airline options to Orlando than BA

[profot]

Guys and girls

I recently decided not to fly with BA anymore which after so many years has left me quite exposed in not knowing how to get about despite doing it daily for my work for the last 15 years.

I am taking my family of 6 to the dreaded Disney world next month in Orlando for 10 days, are there any other options than Virgin? American only connect via their main hubs and with the little ones I'd like a direct flight.

Cheers

[phineas]

A quick trip to OAG gives you 5 flights direct today, I think I'm new to OAG.

These inlcude US, Continental and Delta.

Just registered for OAG, did you know there are as many as 50 flights London->LAX tomorrow.

I am in no way connected to OAG.

[renfrew]

But remember there is a difference between direct flights and non-stop flights!

[phineas]

Many thanks I've lived and learnt.

[gsky]

Ex UK
apart from BA/VS
Direct..
I believe many charter ops
e.g. Monarch , Thomson, Thos Cook etc etc

All the US carriers either code share eg CO/VS on VS or
go via one of their hubs
eg. US, AA, DL, CO etc
and this usually means a plane change somewhere in US en route

I dont think their are any US carriers operating flight direct from UK to MCO
( unless anybody knows different!)

Of course there are European carriers who go direct .KLM for example.. but then you would have to go via AMS .

BA and VS seem to be able to keep their MCO fares at a very high level as they dont have much (direct) competition on the UK-MCO route

[WHBM]

US carriers are fond of maintaining a fiction that they offer "direct" flights on routes like London-Orlando, which in reality are indirect connections with no additional guarantee whatsoever over normal connections that your connection wil be maintained. They will quite happily despatch the continuing aircraft to Orlando while the connecting passengers are stuck in the immgration queue. and will just stick you on their next flight with space. Which may well not be the next departure. This fiction is known by the deliberately obscure footnote "Change of gauge".

Profot, I regret to inform you that Disney has descended to be a pale shadow of what it was 20 years or so ago. If you are disappointed in BA's decline in service nowadays, that's nothing to what has happened at Disney. There's not a decent restaurant in the place any more. Gto NASA at Cape Kennedy instead to be impressed.

[UniFoxOs]

Gto NASA at Cape Kennedy instead to be impressed

Or, better still, Houston

Cheers
UFO

[Capetonian]

'Change of gauge' is of course a complete con, but under ECAC rules for GDSs, the airlines are supposed to display them like this :

3 US 733 C9 D9 Z9 Y9 B9 M9 H9 /LGW S CLT 1010 1400 E0.333 7
/CLT MCO 1635 1816 E0.321 13:06
which pretty clearly shows that there is a change.

when the ECAC rule is not applied, it shows like this :
4 US 733 C9 D9 Z9 Y9 B9 M9 H9 /LGW S MCO 1010 1816 E 1.EQV 7 13:06

The 1 meaning 1 stop and the EQV meaning equipment change on route. GDSs users are supposed to be aware of this and pass the information on to passengers. Rocket science this is not!

When the segment is sold it appears as :

1 US 733 C 15SEP 2 LGWMCO DK1 1010 1816 15SEP E 1 EQV LS
CHANGE OF AIRCRAFT CLT-321 ADV PASSENGER DEPARTURE TERMINAL-


As far as I know the only European carrier using this stunt is Iberia, as in the examples below. They also use it for flights to Havana, Panama, Bogota

3 IB6313 J9 D9 I9 Y9 B9 H9 K9 /BCN 1 MAD 4 0845 0955 E0/320

/MAD4S SJO 1205 1505 E0/340 14:20


1 IB6051 J9 D9 I9 Y9 B9 H9 K9 /BCN 1 MAD 4 2245 2355 E0/320

/MAD4S JNBA1 0130+1 1120+1E0/340 12:35

[strake]

Unless you are just idly checking (and why not), I think you might have left it a bit late to try and get good price tickets if you are definitely going next month.
Seems to me, you have to either swallow your loathing of BA and pay £3k'ish Flex economy (guessing 2 adults and 4 children) or:
London DCT US HUB + MCO £2.8k with US Carrier or

London-CDG (or AMS) + 2 stops £2.3k with KLM/AF

You could also try the above to Tampa or Miami (via Toll road not too bad) could be cheaper.

[Avman]

Profot, I regret to inform you that Disney has descended to be a pale shadow of what it was 20 years or so ago. If you are disappointed in BA's decline in service nowadays, that's nothing to what has happened at Disney. There's not a decent restaurant in the place any more. Gto NASA at Cape Kennedy instead to be impressed.

I don't know if WHBM is refering only to the restaurants or the theme parks in general. I won't argue about the restaurant options (but I never went there to eat a gourmet meal), but as a 30 year veteran of Disneyworld, I would say that as far as entertainment for the kids is concerned it's still tops.

[WHBM]

I don't know if WHBM is refering only to the restaurants or the theme parks in general.
Whole place. Went there in "off season" (same month Profot is going), same admission price as ever but some six attractions we wanted to use were all separately "closed for maintenance". It was just like London Underground at the weekends.
Michael Esiner's long reign as CEO there turned it from a fun and enjoyable place into a cash-cow moneygrabbing machine. Don't take my word for it. Roy Disney, Walt's nephew, said the same thing. Walt must be turning in his grave.

[profot]

Thanks gents, as time was limiting I took the lazy option and booked us on virgin through their website, bit heavy on cost but direct and good timings.

Hope Disney isn't too bad, im dreading it already!

[jetset lady]

Whatever you do, profot, stay away from an attraction known as "It's A Small World". Step foot in there and you will be condemned to have the really annoying song that goes with it, stuck in your head for all of eternity. :ugh:

Jsl

P.S. Apologies to those that have heard this song in the past and that will now, thanks to my reminder, spend the rest of the day humming it.....:E

[Ancient Observer]

Jetset lady.

You should be ashamed!!!! Doing one person a favour, and giving the rest of us back that BL**DY tune in our heads.

My two are now 18 and 21, so I thought I'd escaped...

Huh!! You deserve to re-hear Pirates of the Caribbean in perpetuity.

[jetset lady]

I'm sorry, Ancient Observer. But having got the song stuck back in my head, I thought it only fair that I should share this with the general population. My Mum told me I should always share. ;)

The really annoying thing is that I can't actually remember the words, so end up with something along the lines of...

"It's a small, small world....(pause)......la, la, la, laaa, laaaa...."

Sadly, I don't remember the Pirates of The Caribbean. I think I must have missed that one out! :p

Jsl

[west lakes]

Having been to Orlando twice (cgarters via Glasgow) we managed not to do Disney, preferring the variety of the other Theme parks.
So I've never heard that song - so you ain't got me Jsl -Na Na

[TFlyguy]

If you don't know it allow me to assist

YouTube - It's A Small World - Disney (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxvlKp-76io)

[jetset lady]

And I just had to go and click on it, didn't I! Even though I know the damned song! :(

Go on Westie, I dare ya...:p

Profot, save yourself! Island of Adventures, Sea World, Cape Kennedy, Universal, Dennys....in fact, anywhere but Disney! Tell the kids Micky has gone on holiday to Paris or something.

Jsl

[Ancient Observer]

JSL

Here you go........take the punishment!!!!


YouTube - Pirates of The Caribbean Ride (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTQ5eWBlApY)

Yup, and I clicked on the small world one. Great memories of the girls when they were young. Off to see the photos now.

or

YouTube - Pirates of the Caribbean @ Disneyland (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJS3k5E5Qxg&feature=related)

[profot]

Why did I click on it aswell?????

I wish I didn't have to go but I think Disney is inevitable as is some ridiculous dolphin swimming caper.

Any offers to take my family for me while I go on a real holiday?

[Jarvy]

I'm going to Orlando in 10days doing disney etc. Also going to Kermit Weeks place brilliant!! Easy for me to fly there local airport direct to Orlando with South West.
Jarvy

[jetset lady]

Why did I click on it aswell?????


Call it conditioning, profot!

That's the thing about clicky bits. They have an irresistable quality about them. Even if it's something I know nothing about and care even less about, I just can't help myself! It's the same with the You Tube posts. I click on them and 40 minutes later, I'm still ploughing my way through all the similiar videos that You Tube has put up as suggestions for other videos I "might like." It took me over an hour to read the JetBlast Welcome Thread and it only contains one post! :{


Any offers to take my family for me while I go on a real holiday?


I'm afraid it is your time to suffer, in the name of your offspring, all those annoying little Disney Tunes that will stick in your head for ever more. Go into battle with your head held high and your trainers sparkling white...Our thoughts will be with you. :E

[west lakes]

Go on Westie, I dare ya


This is one challenge I am not going to accept!





Even fot you:cool:

[hanginthere]

If you dont mind flying charter (Thomas Cook, Monarch, or etc) they operate direct non-stop flights to SFB, less hassle than MCO.

Check out this site:

Charter Flight Centre Home page [charterflights.co.uk] (http://www.charterflights.co.uk)

The site also list scheduled alternatives

[ConstantFlyer]

You could go via Dublin. Aer Lingus flies daily from Dublin to Orlando and fares are not bad. Plus, I think you clear US immigration in Dublin so save some time on arrival in the USA.

[markch2000]

Be warned, BA are introducing a second bag charge (so much for insulting low cost airlines about hidden charges), as are many other airlines, whereas before a flight to the US you were allowed 2 per person.

Virgin are introducing charges as well, as is basically every US airline, however i know Virgin are not going to charge for second bags on flights to the US.

Have a look at this:
Royal Aeronautical Society: News Detail (http://www.raes.org.uk/newsdetail.asp?newscode=4104)
or just google airline baggage charges and im sure some articles will come up

[EI787fan]

FIRST POST SO BE GENTLE WITH ME!

Go to MCO with AA ex Dub about 3 times a year
via ORD,never a problem with flights on a 767
timings are good and you arrive MCO before 7pm at night
with deprture DUB at 10.30am
Price can vary between E385 to E 490 including all taxes
always book on AA.com still 2 bags allowed
prices ex LHR usually about £400+
no imigration in Dublin last few times due to staff shorages
enjoy Orlando it's a great place,
hope its some help !
Edward

[dufc]

Hi Profot,

Glad you got your flights organised. The kids will love Disney but also check out Universal - some very good ticket prices around at the moment (7 days/2 parks for $116!).

We have a vacation home that also we rent out in Kissimmee (and which is under 8 minutes to Disney) so we are out there a lot.

Our usual cost effective/air miles generating routing is ABZ-AMS-DTW-MCO or sometimes ABZ-AMS-MEM-MCO with KLM/NW. You kinda know that if there is a problem then there is bound to be another later flight you can catch. Unlike Globespan which was used by friends recently.....

If you are a Gold/Plat card holder there is also often an upgrade to 1st on the US internal sectors space permitting.

Have a great time!

Regards

Jim

[nivsy]

Recently booked Orlando from Gatwick direct just after Christmas and routing via Chicago back to Heathrow after new year. Price seemed fairly reasonable (BA flights across the Atlantic,with the first sector direct and the return utilises AA between Orlando and Chicago).

Why though do BA not permit on line seat selection at time of booking like the US carriers? That seems odd to me - seems a bit stupid with 24 hours before flight only being the policy.


Nivsy

[heidelberg]

Pre-Immigration clearance for DUB/MCO flights not available until T2 opens in 2010.
Then one will be able to clear Immigration, Customs & Agriculture for ALL American flights originating at DUB - and SNN too.
The flights will now arrive in the States as a Domestic flight.

Meanwhile I note a return fare with EI to/from DUB/MCO is circa €415.
(I'm travelling with EI in Jan 2010).
Pretty good compared to other airlines.
Of course it is possible to book through tickets with EI from many UK and Continental Europe airports via DUB.